Phoolka, Harsimrat hit out at Kanhaiya over ’84 riots remark

LUDHIANA/MANSA: Senior Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) leader HS Phoolka and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday lashed out at JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar for his remarks that 1984 anti-Sikh riots were a “mob-led massacre” while 2002 Gujarat riots were a “state-sponsored violence.”

“The statement is very unfortunate. Kanhaiya has been stating that the Congress was not behind the anti-Sikh riots. It is totally wrong,” said Phoolka. “Only Congress leaders were making such statements and now Kanhayiya is repeating same words,” he added.

“Before making such statements, Kanhaiya should go through the report of People’s Union For Democratic Rights (PUDR) and People’s Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL). The report that was issued in November 1984 had cleared that how government machinery was used during the riots,” he added.

Phoolka challenged Kanhaiya for debate over the issue. “I challenge him (Kanhaiya) for a debate. I’m ready to go to JNU for it,” Phoolka said.

Hitting out at Kanhaiya, Union food processing minister and Bathinda MP Harsimrat said: “Gujarat riots were not statesponsored as people from all communities, including policemen, lost their lives. Hence, the state was not involved in the tragic event. However, in the 1984 riots, Congress leaders such as Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler were directly involved.”

“Politics has hit a new low as students are being used to term anti-Sikh riots as a mob fury. It is very unfortunate that the magnitude of such a grave incident was being diluted for petty political gains,” she said while addressing a gathering in Mansa. HTC